The present invention relates in general to hooks and more particularly, to safety hooks designed to decrease the possibility of injury to persons, animals or articles hitting or impacting the hook.
Known hooks are made of stiff material or are reinforced to make them stiff for holding articles. These hooks can create injury to persons, animals or articles hitting or impacting them or even brushing against them.
Hooks are used in a variety of different locations such as on the walls in a home, school, garage, barn, horse stall to name a few. In general, hooks are mounted to fixed structures and, in some cases, to movable structures, such as sliding or overhead doors. Injury to persons, animals, or articles can occur by hitting or impacting a hook or, in the case of hooks mounted on movable structures, a hook hitting a person, animal, or article. When for example, a person inadvertently hits a hook mounted on the wall, a variety of injuries may occur. The seriousness of the injury may depend on how the hook is impacted and of course the portion of the persons body that is hit. The injury may result from the hook penetrating the person's body in a wide variety of locations which can create very serious injury.
Another example is in a horse ban where hooks are necessary for hanging halters, lead ropes, halters, lunge lines, and other tack and a variety of other articles such as brooms. If a horse runs into a hook or if the handler gets caught between the hook and the horse, either the horse or the handler may be injured. Also, a horse may inadvertently back into or hit a hook when moving around in the barn, creating substantial injury to the animal with expensive attendant medical and veterinary costs and healing expenses. Sometimes hay bales hit a hook and break it leaving a jagged edge that can cut either the handier or animal and also requires replacement of the hook. In addition, when a hook is mounted to a movable object, such as a sliding door or a garage door, when the door is moved, it may hit a person or animal causing injury. There are a wide variety of other examples were injury to person or property as a result of hitting a hook may occur.
In other instances, a person or animal moving along the wall may brush against a hook and be injured. Known hooks are not designed to withstand a horizontal or "brushing" impact force since they are designed to provide only vertical forces for holding an article. If hit in that direction in which such a hook is particularly weak, the hook may break, presenting a jagged edge that may create injuries.
Accordingly it is desirable to provide a hook that is capable of supporting an article and retaining the article on the hook while allowing the hook to flex and move upon impact. Such a hook minimizes injury to person, animals or property when hitting the hook.
It is desirable to provide a hook which balances the flexibility and strength properties of the material and the physical properties of the design of the hook to achieve the these advantageous features.
Is also desirable to provide a hook which is capable of supporting the weight of article on an article supporting portion thereof and retaining the article thereon with an article retaining portion. Advantageously, the article supporting portion is capable of supporting the weight of the article in the vertical direction and has some flexibility in the horizontal direction. Is also desirable that the article retaining portion is flexible in all directions so that when the hook is impacted, it can flex and decrease the possibility of injury.
It is also desirable to provide a hook that does not permanently bend, break or crack went it is hit or impacted.. Such a desirable hook will also have the advantageous feature of returning substantially to its original shape upon impact. Known hooks that are made from metals or plastics are prone to permanently bend, break or crack upon impact rendering the hook inoperable.
Is also desirable to provide a hook that deflects impact forces on it and does not break and have sharp edges that may create injury. By deflecting the impact force, injury is avoided as well as damage to the hook.